


Romance of the Beast

by extremelyperturbed



Category: Beauty and the Beast (1991), Hannibal (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Book/Movie Fusion, Alternate Universe - Romantic Comedy, F/M, Fluff and Crack, M/M, Major character death - Freeform, OOC, Utterly Ridiculous
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-08
Updated: 2015-08-09
Packaged: 2018-04-13 14:17:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,997
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4525185
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/extremelyperturbed/pseuds/extremelyperturbed
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Done in response to this kinkmeme, which requested the Disney verision of the Beauty and the Beast:</p><p>Chilton as the fussy prince who gets turned into a beast and Will as the beautiful (but crazy) Belle.</p><p>Bonus for Zeller!Cogsworth, Price!Lumiere and Potts!Beverly trying to help out.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Once upon a time, there was a prince named Frederick who had everything he could want but was a petty, cruel and spoiled young man. However, an old beggar lady came to the door on a rainy night and asked for shelter, holding only a rose for payment. The prickly snob that Prince Chilton was told her to go away, not even offering her a barn or a hovel. Irritated, the old beggar lady threw off her disguise and turned into the great fairy Alana, who felt the need to fix greatly damaged things and people, one of which she considered Chilton to be. 

Terrified, Prince Frederick begged for forgiveness but truly, he had really pissed her off. She put him under an enchantment that not only turned him into a beast but also affected the entire castle because she also wanted to go after the toadies and enablers who had created such a beastly prince. She left the rose with the warning that he could change back into a human if by his twenty first year he could not only learn to love but be loved in return. With that, she disappeared.

“AAHHHHHH, we’re doomed!” yelled the servants because their prince was not terribly loveable even when human and in his best moments.

***

In a small village, Will walked through the village with his many dogs. He often read a book while he walked in order to avoid eye contact. He knew that many in the village thought him strange mostly because they sang songs about how weird they found him, often in unison.

There must be more than this provincial life, thought Will as he walked to the bookstore. It didn’t help that his choice in reading material often centered on gruesome murders or gothic romances. After buying a book, he continued walking while a random woman sang about his beauty while also wondering about whether he was all there. 

“Hello, Will.”

Will narrowed his eyes at Hannibal, who had just come back from another pig hunt, which often strangely coincided with a disappearance of a villager in a nearby village. “Hello, Dr. Lecter.”

“Constantly reading about all those murders and bad romances is bad for one’s mind. I think you should seek the stability of matrimony.”

“And of course, you volunteer for this mission of mercy,” said Will. 

“I do. I am the best man for it.”

“I don’t find you that interesting, and neither does the life you have envisioned for me. It’s positively primeval.”

Being smarter than the usual hunter, Hannibal felt a trifle insulted but not at all put off.

“I better go home,” said Will before he turned to walk back home.

When he got home, Will saw his adoptive father Jack working in his basement on another medical potion for Bella, Jack’s wife and Will’s adoptive mother. “Damn it, I thought I had it,” said Jack.

“There’s always the apothecary fair in the city this Saturday. I’m sure they’ll have something there.” 

“That’s true,” said Jack. “How was the village this morning?”

Will shrugged. “The dogs got some exercise and I got a book.”

“You should think of the future. Neither Bella nor I will live forever. Perhaps you should choose Hannibal . . .”

“He’s rude and conceited,” said Will before sitting down and sighing. “If I want to love someone, I want to be in love like you’re in love with mother.”

Jack looked surprised then smiled. “I hope you find someone like that, too.”

***  
Jack cursed as he rode his horse through the darkened woods, lost and far from home. He had bought a medicine that sounded perfect for Bella’s ailment from an apothecary who had even cured the king of a particularly nasty plague. However, he had picked the wrong road thinking it was a shortcut and had made things worse by trying to backtrack. The fact that it was raining didn’t make things better. Philippe the horse whinnied his discomfort. “Hush, boy,” said Jack. 

Unfortunately, between a sudden influx of bats and the howls of the nearby wolves, Philippe panicked and threw him, leaving Jack alone. A pack of wolves chased Jack, who ran and ran until he found a metal gate and locked it behind him so the wolves could not follow. It was only then he saw what appeared to be an abandoned castle.

With no other shelter available, he went in, only to feel that he was being watched. He fancied he could hear muffled voices but he despised flights of fancies and shook his head. He decided to announce himself. “My name is Jack Crawford. I don’t mean to intrude. I only need to stay the night and then I will leave.”

He heard the murmurs again until someone clearly said, “Of course, sir, you are welcome here!”

He picked up a lit candelabra and said, “Who said that?”

“Over here!” 

He spun this way and that until he happened to look at the candelabra which had a tiny face which smiled and said, “Hello!”

Jack was no coward but he gasped and dropped it. Then after he recovered from the shock, he bent down to take a closer look at the candelabra. “Amazing.”

“My name is Jimmy,” said the candelabra. 

A clock came running towards the candelabra. “Oh, now you’ve done it. This is such a bad idea!” 

Jack picked up the clock. “How can this possibly work? 

“Put me down!” yelled the clock, which Jack did. 

Jack briefly wondered if he had accidentally ingested one of the herbs Bella used for her aches and pains but he had never envisioned talking furniture when he had taken some with her.

“Please,” said Jimmy. “It’s so rare we have guests and you’re soaking wet. Please sit by the fire.”

As Jack sat by the fire, a foot stool wagged its tassel and barked. Oh, Will would love this, thought Jack as it settled under his feet. A tea pot appeared on a dolly and said, “Would you like a cup?”

It was then that a large beast came into the room. “There is a stranger here,” he boomed.

“Let me explain,” said Jimmy.

“Who are you?” said the beast, looking like a rather large wolf man. He was even larger than Jack and Jack was not a small man by any means. 

“I was lost in the woods.”

“You’re not welcome here.”

“I need a place to stay.”

“I’ll give you a place to stay,” said the beast as it picked Jack as if he was merely a dandelion.

***  
Will was waiting patiently for Jack when there was a knock on the door. He rolled his eyes when he saw through the peephole it was only Hannibal. “What a surprise,” said Will as he opened the door.

“Can I come in?” said Hannibal.

Grumpily, Will stepped back to let Hannibal in. “My mother is asleep so I need you to be quiet.”

“I am here to ask you to share a vision.”

“My imagination isn’t that good,” said Will.

“Imagine a large hunting lodge with the horns of my trophies decorating the wall, my latest kill roasting in the kitchen, and my little husband tending to our children playing with the dogs. We’ll have six or seven . . .”

“Dogs?”

“Children.”

“I’m speechless. I really don’t know what to say because it’s physically impossible.” Will found himself leaning against the door while Hannibal crowded him.

“Will, is he bothering you?” said Bella, coming out of her bedroom. “If you are bothering my son, I am asking that you leave this instant.”

“I’m sorry. I did not mean to wake you. I shall come at a better time,” said Hannibal. 

“Please go back to sleep,” said Will once he had closed the door. 

“Jack’s late,” said Bella. “It’s not like him to be late.”

“I’ll wake you when he comes in,” said Will. 

Will heard the clip clop of the horse’s hooves. “It sounds like him right now.”

They both ran out of their cottage only to see the horse was riderless. “Oh, no!” said Bella.

Will took the reins of the horse. “I’ll go look for him. Philippe will take me to him.” 

***

Philippe led Will to the palace. Getting off the horse, he ran through the gates and into the building. He saw a lit candelabra and picked it up so he could see his way. After exploring the palace, he found Jack in a cage in the middle of a large room. “Jack!”

“Take the medicine and run!” said Jack, holding out a little bag. “Get out of here before he . . .”

Before Will could take it from him, someone grabbed Will by the shoulder and spun him around so he dropped the candelabra. “What are you doing here?”

“I’m here to free my father,” said Will. “Who are you?”

“I am the owner of this place. He trespassed and for that, I have imprisoned him.”

“Take me instead and let him go.”

“You would take his place?” 

“No, Will!” yelled Jack.

“She needs you,” said Will to Jack before he turned back to the speaker, hiding in the shadows. “Yes, I am willing to take his place.”

“You would have to stay here forever.”

“Let me see you.” 

The beast stepped forward into the light of the candelabra on the floor.

“Oh, wow,” said Will. “You look like a giant humanoid wolf dog.” He sounded positively gleeful.

“Focus, Will, focus!” said Jack. One of these days, that dog obsession will get him killed, Jack thought.

The beast gave Will the briefest of side eyes before grabbing Jack and dragging him to the front door. He threw him into the carriage which magically carted him away from the castle as Will could only look on from the window.

As the beast walked in, Jimmy waved his candles about before he said, “Since he’s staying here, how about he stays somewhere else besides a cage?”

The beast would have roared at him except he saw Will in the distance, silently crying. Feeling a bit bad about the situation, the beast waved Will over. “I’m showing you to your room.”

Jimmy hopped up on the beast’s shoulder. “Be more welcoming. I swear it’s like pulling teeth to get anything decent out of you!”

The beast turned to Will. “My servants will take care of any and all needs. You can go anywhere in the castle, except the West Wing.”

“What’s in the West Wing?”

“Never mind that!”

***  
“Jack, you shouldn’t have left him there,” said Bella. 

“I didn’t have a choice,” said Jack. “The monster picked me up like I was nothing. And the entire place is booby trapped. If I’m going to get Will back, I need some men to help me.” He held his wife. “Do not worry, I do not think the beast will kill him.”

“Then what does he want with Will?”

“I don’t know. In the meantime, please take the medicine I brought you. Will would not want you to be sick. I promise I‘m going to rescue him.”

***

“Will? Will?’

Will blinked his eyes and awoke from his self-induced trance. Often when he got upset, he like to pretend that he was fishing by himself alone, standing in a stream. He opened the door only to find a lit candelabra, a clock and a teapot smiling at him. That’s random, Will thought.

“Bonjour,” said the candelabra.

“What?” said Will.

“My name is Jimmy,” said the candelabra. “The portable clock is Brian and the pretty little teapot is Beverly.”

Will briefly wondered if he had caught that wicked brain fever again that had him imagine all sorts of all horrible things then remembered then that he was in an enchanted palace owned by a monster. Suddenly, things made so much more sense.

A little cup hopped in front of Beverly and she poured some tea into the cup. “Try some chamomile, it’ll calm your nerves.”

Will sat on the floor and drank some tea out of the cup before putting it down. “Let me guess, magic?”

“It’s a long story,” said Jimmy. “What’s your name?”

“It’s Will Graham.”

“You should get ready for dinner,” said Brian. “He usually has it at this time and . . .”

“I can’t say I’m especially hungry,” said Will. “I’d rather just be alone for tonight. Perhaps tomorrow.”

“But he really wants to . . .”

“I’m not good company in the best of times . . . I’ll come down for breakfast,” said Will.

***  
“Why didn’t he come down for dinner?” said the beast rather irritated.

“Because the shock of losing his freedom and his family has killed his appetite. Besides, he promised to come down for breakfast,” said Beverly. “Patience!”

Jimmy said, “Perhaps he’s the one who can break the spell. The fairy didn‘t specify that the spell breaker had to be a girl and he‘s really pretty.”

“Oh, God,” said the beast. 

Jimmy said, “At least he didn’t recoil in terror. He seemed to react at the sight of you if you were a big fluffy cuddle bunny.”

“But it would help if you didn’t act like an asshole,” said Brian. 

“What!” said the beast.

“You’ve got a problem with pettiness and lashing out,” said Beverly. “If you want him to love you then you are going to have to overlook a few things and not say the first impulsive and bitchy thing that pops into your head. It‘s how we got here in the first place.”

“Why . . . Why are you all ganging up on me?” snapped the beast. 

“Because none of us want to be appliances for the rest of our lives,” said Brian. “You are going to charm the pants off Will Graham or else.”

“I can’t say that I much care for how he . . .“ The beast picked up the magic mirror to look in on Will, only to catch Will coming out of a steaming shower, dripping wet with a towel wrapped around his midriff. He paused at the image before saying, “I’ll try.”

***  
Will walked out of his room in the middle of the night. He had no plans to stay here permanently even if it was a relief to be away from the mocking gaze of the other villagers. If he was going to make his escape, he needed to scope out the palace and see if there was another way outside the house other than the front door. He also needed to know how long he should stay in making preparations. He remembered reading a book about a certain infamous serial killer named Bluebeard. He had married several women who disappeared soon after the honeymoon, only to have the last wife discover that he had killed them and stored them in a locked room. It was only the last minute intervention of her sister and some soldier friends that kept her from joining them.

He opened one door and poked his head in to find it was the kitchen. Beverly was talking to a grumpy oven about the wasted dinner. He was about to sneak away when Beverly said, “Will?”

Will said, “I was thinking of making a snack but . . .” 

“No, you must come in. The cook has already made dinner and it’s a shame to have it go to waste,” she said. 

Brian grumpily said, “Will can take back a bowl of soup to his room or something.”

“Brian Zeller, shame on you! He’s our guest,” said Jimmy. “We should treat him like one!” 

With that, Will found himself in the palace’s dining room and sat down in a comfy chair. 

Before he could refuse, Jimmy started twirling around, singing “Be our guest, be our guest . . .” as a place setting jumped off the cabinets and organized themselves in front of Will. Will watched in amazement as plates and silver dishes offered him an array of hors d’oeuvres consisting of little bites of puff pastry and pates. As dishes and steins danced for his amusement while a hidden chorus sang, he was offered a small cup of vegetable soup, a plate of beef stroganoff with sides, and a tray with various small desserts. 

“That was amazing,” said Will. While he still had reservations about the master of the palace, he was stunned by the deliciousness of the food and the quality of the entertainment. 

“Everything to your liking?” said Jimmy.

“I couldn’t eat another bite,” sighed Will. 

“Time to go to sleep,” said Brian. 

“I will make my way back,” said Will. “See you in the morning.”

As Will made his way from the dining room, he looked back to see everybody was busy with clean up and ran to the West Wing that the beast had warned him away from. He could sense that they were sincere in their wanting him to enjoy his time here but couldn’t feel that they were hiding something from him.

He quietly walked up the stairs to the West Wing. He was disquieted by the smashed mirrors. They reminded him of another story he had read about a man who worshiped a dread god and turned into a dragon, using a bloody ceremony involving the smashing of mirrors. He went further and saw a torn portrait of a young dark-haired man. Will frowned and saw a glowing rose under a glass dome. He walked towards it, wondering why it was floating. 

The beast appeared before him.and yelled, “What are you doing here?”

“I was just looking around. I didn’t know this was your private room.”

“Get out! How dare you come in here? Do you know the meaning of the word ‘boundaries?’” screamed the beast peevishly, knocking furniture and books over in his rage.

Having had enough, Will ran from the place, grabbing his coat before he got out of the door. He found Philippe in the stables and rode off. 

***  
Hannibal pondered as he watched the fire in his fireplace. Jack Crawford, a man known to have little interest in flights of fancy, had walked into the local pub and asked for help to rescue Will from a giant dog-like beast in an enchanted palace. He could not help but wonder if the man had finally a breakdown from the stress of having to be a caretaker of a very ill wife and having a son who had nothing in common with his father.

He did worry that Will had not been seen in town. He wondered if Will had run away or if Jack was hiding him in the cottage they lived in because he no longer wanted people to talk about his introverted son. He had offered to treat Will for free but had been forcefully rebuffed.

A germ of an idea began sprouting. If Jack continued to behave in this manner, he could have him committed. Even if Will had left the village, he was sure Bella would somehow get word to Will to come back. Once Will had come back, he would make an offer where Jack would be let out if Will would accept his proposal of marriage.

***  
“Hold still,” said Will as he tended the beast’s wounds. They were back at the palace where the beast was sitting in his chair. “If it doesn’t get clean, it’ll become infected.”

“It hurts,” whined the beast.

“It’ll hurt less if you stay still.”

The beast had ran after Will because he knew that there were packs of wolves nearby. When he caught up with Will, he had been surprised to see Will surrounded by a pack that was frolicking in circles around him and the very nervous horse. Unfortunately, the wolves saw him and began attacking him. When he woke up, he was on Will’s horse being taken back home.

“If you hadn’t run away, I wouldn’t have gotten hurt.”

“If you hadn’t yelled at me, I wouldn’t have left.”

“I wouldn’t have yelled if you hadn’t come into a place I told you not to go into.”

“Maybe I shouldn’t have gone there but you didn’t have to react the way you did.”

“I was taking care of my private . . . needs.”

There was a brief but significant silence as the exact nature of the needs was understood. “Oh,” said Will. 

The beast pouted. “I ran after you because wolves tend to attack everything and everyone in the area. I don‘t understand why they acted the way they did.”

Will smiled as he finished cleaning the wound and began putting a bandage on it. “I didn’t expect it either but I have a knack with dogs. Maybe I have a knack with wolves, too. You remind me of Baxter.”

“Who’s that?”

“My dog. Unlike you, he’s tiny but he loves going up against much larger beasts. I’ve had to stitch him up after he tried going after a bear.”

“Can we start again? My name is Frederick Chilton.”

“Frederick . . . I’m Will Graham.”


	2. Chapter 2

“Nobody believed me, Bella,” said Jack as he sat down to have dinner with his wife. His only consolation was that the medicine he had returned with was working wonders. She was now walking around the house and breathing well. 

“I believe you,” said Bella. 

“I know. I think I’ll have to go it alone.”

“Let me come with you.”

“You’re still not completely over your illness. In case, Will comes home, I’d rather have someone waiting for him,” said Jack. 

There was a knock on the door. Jack opened it to see Hannibal. “Hannibal?”

“Hello, Jack. After that last outburst, the mayor Kade Prurnell has given me the authority to take you to the asylum until you have recovered.”

“What is it that you want?” said Bella.

“Oh, Bella, you look so much better.”

“Don’t change the subject. Why are you doing this?”

“All I want is for you and your entire family to be well,” said Hannibal. “Oh by the way, where is Will?”

Jack turned to Bella and shook his head. Bella, understanding, said, “I don’t know.”

“Come with me, Jack, you don’t want anybody else to get hurt,” said Hannibal.

***  
“I’ve got a surprise for you,” said Frederick as he led Will to a room.

“A surprise?” said Will.

“Close your eyes.”

Will looked skeptical but closed his eyes. 

Frederick slowly led Will into the room and pulled back the curtains. “Now open them.”

Will was surprised to see a room that was well over two stories high, the walls full of books. “There’s so many of them.”

“They’re all yours. Read as much as you like.”

“How did you . . .”

“A certain candelabra told me that you wished you had something to read.”

“Ah . . .” said Will. 

“You like it?”

“I love it,” said Will.

Jimmy, Beverly and Brian were watching them as they walked towards a wall and picked out a book each. Jimmy said, “Oh good, they’re getting along. We‘ll be human by the end of the week.”

“Not murdering each other is not the same as falling in love,” said Brian. 

“But they went ice skating and fishing just the other day,” said Jimmy.

“It’s going to take time,” said Beverly. 

“But I want to be human now!” said Jimmy.

“At least we have a shot,” said Beverly. 

“We don’t have much time, though. The flower is already losing its petals,” said Jimmy. “We need to speed things up.”

“How do we do that?” said Brian. 

“Very few things are more romantic than dancing,” said Jimmy.

“Oh, we can clean the old ballroom,” said Beverly.

Brian shrugged as much as he could do with his clock body. “It’s a plan.”

***  
“I really enjoyed that book about the evil fairy who turned the bad musicians into cursed instruments,” said Frederick to Will as they sat in the library. His collection of books was so vast that he had only read a fraction and he found them boring without someone to talk to about them. Now that he had an audience for his thoughts, he had become a voracious reader. Perhaps, he thought, I could write a few stories and see if Will would like them.

“I prefer the story of Peter who found the heart of the maiden-killing giant inside the egg inside the bird inside the foal inside the horse and crushed it, killing him,” said Will.

“I was wondering if you would like to go dancing?”

“Dancing? I don’t really know how.”

“Just follow my lead and we’ll go slow,” said Frederick. “The servants have been spending most of the week polishing the floor and cleaning the chandelier of the main ballroom. It would be a shame to disappoint them.”

“I wouldn’t want to do that,” said Will. Will had to confess to himself that he loved this place. He was not the strangest person in the palace, was left alone to read and wander about as much as he liked. He even thought of Jimmy, Beverly and Brian as friends, something he didn’t have in the village. As for Frederick, Will thought he had improved a great deal from a very rough beginning. Frederick had even gotten the servants to build him a fishing shack where he could go ice fishing. When he was by himself, he could even admit to himself that he felt something for Frederick that the villagers would say was proof he was mixed up in the head as they said he was. 

***  
Bella sighed. She had gone to the asylum where Jack was being held and had argued for hours with the people there. It hadn’t done any good though. As long as Hannibal demanded it, Jack would not be leaving the facility any time soon. She was also rather disappointed with Jack in that he had insisted that she not risk her health again and go look for their son. She decided she would give Jack a good talking to once she got him out about parental responsibility.

Once home, Bella packed her bag and loaded her hunting rifle. With that, she left the house and walked out of the village. 

***

As Jimmy watched Frederick dress for his date in his bedroom, he said, “You have been practicing your dance steps?”

“Yes, yes, I have.”

“He already likes you but we have to raise the bar a bit.”

“I know.”

“You must be bold and declare your love.”

“I will . . .”

“You must . . .”

“Please stop telling me what to do! I am already nervous as it is.” 

Jimmy sighed because Frederick really was a nervous wreck over this. “I am sorry for pushing so hard but it’s just that he’s our last and our best hope. He’s probably the only person in the kingdom for who your current appearance actually works in your favor.” 

Frederick sighed at being reminded of how he looked. “At least he hasn’t tried to give me a doggy treat or put a collar around my neck.” 

“Oh, cheer up!” said Jimmy. “From what I hear, his life in his village was utterly miserable. He’s in no hurry to leave.”

“There’s still the fact that my birthday is not that far away.”

Jimmy sighed. “I know, I know.”

Brian walked in. “He is ready for you. Mrs. Komeda has really outdone herself,” Brian said, referring to the wardrobe, who took care of dressing Will.

Curious, Frederick walked out and saw that Will’s hair was carefully styled, his face shaven and that he was wearing a new tailored suit with gold trim. “You astonish me with your beauty more and more, each day,” said Frederick.

“You are a flatterer, Frederick,” said Will. 

“It’s not flattery if what I say is true.”

Will gave him a skeptical look but ended up smiling. 

Frederick led him to the newly remodeled ballroom which made Will gasp in astonishment for just how large it was and how beautifully polished everything was. Jimmy signaled the musical instruments to play. Frederick bowed and said, “Shall we dance?” as he held out his paw.

Will took his paw and they slowly waltzed over the floor.

“I thought you said you didn’t know how to dance,” said Frederick.

“Beverly and Jimmy has been coaching me on that.”

“Oh, of course.”

“I figured you’d appreciate me not stomping on your feet even if they are tougher than mine.”

“Are you happy here, Will?” said Frederick.

“I am,” said Will. “It’s just . . .”

“What’s wrong, Will?” said Frederick, who noticed Will looked sad. 

“It’s just that I want to see my parents again. I want them to know I’m all right. I want to know if they're all right.”

“I have a magic mirror in my room that lets me see whatever I please. If you like, I can show them to you later tonight.”

“Thank you.”

After they left the ballroom, Frederick took Will to his room and showed him the mirror. “All you have to say is what you want to see.”

“I would like to see my parents. Will looked in the mirror only to see Bella walking through the snow and Jack in a cell at the asylum. “My parents . . . They’re in danger. My father is imprisoned and my mother is alone in the woods.”

“Oh?”

“I must go to them.”

Frederick paused. If he let Will go, this could be the last chance of ever breaking the spell. But if he didn’t let Will go, he would be breaking Will’s heart. “If you must go, then do so. I will have Philippe saddled and ready.”

“Thank you.”

As Will rushed out, Jimmy hopped into the room and said, “What happened? What did you say to him?”

“I let him go so he could save his parents.”

Beverly groaned. “Our prince finally does something unselfish and it’s that.”

“Then why isn’t the spell broken?” said Jimmy.

“Because Will has to love him too,” snapped Brian. “And not in a ‘I think you’re a giant version of a pet’ sort of way.”

***  
Stuck in a snow drift, Bella saw a rider come towards her and realized it was her son. “Will? Where have you been? Jack told me you were imprisoned!”

“I was but he let me go to save you two,” said Will as he helped her to her feet. “What happened to . . .”

“Jack’s in an asylum. You must convince everybody that he was telling the truth about where you‘ve been.”

“I have proof. Is Dr. Lecter behind this?”

Bella nodded. “We should go home first.” 

“I knew he was obsessed with me but I didn’t know he’d go this far.”

They had just returned home when there was a knock on the door. Will opened the door and saw Hannibal, flanked by one of his flunkies. “Dr. Lecter.”

“You’re home, Will.”

“You put my father in your asylum because you think he’s mad but I have proof that what my father said is true.”

“Please show me,” said Hannibal. “I must caution you that if you do not, you will join him and endure my tender ministrations.”

“Only if you promise to let my father out if I do.”

“I promise that if you show me the beast of which he speaks, I will let him out,” said Hannibal. “I keep my promises.”

Will took out the mirror and said, “Show me Frederick.” With that, the mirror showed his face. “Look.”

Hannibal looked at that and saw what Jack had been describing for days. “He has a name?”

“Yes. Now that you know what my father said was true, set him free.”

“Of course, however . . . Now we must go after the beast that kept you prisoner.”

“No, wait, he let me go. You mustn’t hurt him.”

“I see that you are suffering from Stockholm Syndrome. I must destroy him to cure you.” 

“What, no, you can’t kill Frederick!”

“Why are you on a first name basis with him instead of me?” said Hannibal.

“Because you’re the monster, not him!” said Will.

There was a hideous expression in Hannibal’s eyes at Will’s declaration. Hannibal turned to his flunky, and said, “Randall, lock Will and his mother in the basement and keep guard over them! Once I kill the monster, the spell over him will be broken.” 

“Yes, sir,” said Randall before Hannibal left to form an angry mob.

Randall turned to Will and said, “Will, get in the basement.”

“No, I won’t.” 

“Good, you’re resisting,” said Randall. Randall threw himself at Will only to have Will deliver several blows to the head with his fists, knocking him out. 

Bella quickly tied up the man with rope and a large metal circle with a dozen keys fell out of Randall’s pocket. “These look like the keys to the cells at the asylum.”

“Go free father,” said Will. 

“Where are you going?”

“I have to go save someone else.” 

***  
Hannibal made his way to the castle, leading a mob (which was easy to call up due to him being a charismatic well-respected doctor instead of an introverted outcast on the spectrum), using the map that Jack had previously drawn in a vain attempt to prove his sanity. 

As the rampaging villagers attracted the attention of the enchanted members of the castle, Hannibal crept through the palace and found Frederick in his room, looking depressed. “I shall put you out of your misery,” he said, holding a rather nasty looking hunting knife.

They were both distracted when they heard Will’s voice yell in the distance, “No, no. Don’t kill Frederick!” However, Hannibal got over his distraction faster and stabbed Frederick in the back, causing him to roar in pain. Hannibal pushed Frederick out of the window, hoping that the fall would kill him, only to be disappointed that Frederick was saved by an overhang just a few feet down. Hannibal pursued the fleeing beast. 

Will ran up the stairs, his heart beating not only with exertion but with fear that Frederick would be killed. Once he reached the balcony of Frederick's room, he saw Frederick just barely fending off a very motivated and experienced killer. Will jumped unto the overhang and ran towards them. Hannibal coolly turned towards him, pointing the knife at Will, and said, "Don't interfere, Will, I do this for your own good."

"Everybody says that they know what's good for me but so few ever mean it," said Will.

Seeing that Hannibal was distracted, Frederick pushed Hannibal off his feet so that he lost his balance and slid off the overhang to the usual Disney doom of falling to one's death. 

Will dragged Frederick back to the balcony where Beverly, Jimmy and Brian had gathered after they and the other furniture and appliances had frightened off the leaderless mob. "You came back," said Frederick. 

"Of course," said Will. "I didn't want to leave you. I'm sorry . . ."

"I'm just happy to see you again,"he said before losing consciousness. 

Will turned him over and put pressure on his bleeding wound with his coat. "You mustn't die. I came back to save you. I love you, Frederick."

Will watched as a confusion of colored lights swirled around Frederick and watched as the fur disappeared, his frame became more human and he looked more like the portrait he had seen in the West Wing. “Who . . .” 

“Will, it’s me, Frederick,” said the man who stood before him, unharmed. 

“Frederick?” Will looked around to see that instead of a clock, a candelabra and a teapot, there stood two men and a dark-haired woman, all three of them overjoyed. Turning back to the man, Will felt a bit sad that his big fluffy dog person was gone but seeing everybody else being happy about being returned to normal cheered him up. And in any case, he still felt the strong need to take care and pet this man who was smaller than him.

"Will, may I?" said Frederick.

"Yes," said Will and they kissed each other.

“Will? Are you OK?” said Bella. 

Will turned to see his parents running up to him. “Let me introduce you to them. Jack's not going to recognize you . . .”

The End

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> https://youtu.be/AzA97oMW2_M This is Raul Esparza singing Marry Me a Little. For some reason, it just seems to fit.
> 
> I heard a lot of little girls preferred him as the Beast rather than his human form. I figured Will would have a little of that.

**Author's Note:**

> It really helps to have seen the movie.
> 
> I could not help but cast Hannibal as Gaston. He hunts, keeps trophies, stalks his beloved and colludes with a corrupt doctor to keep someone in an asylum for his own desires. Also, the self-conceit and how everybody in the villages kisses his ass, so Gaston. Also Belle in the movie is thought to be odd by the other villagers.
> 
> Yes, I decided to turn fairy tale killers into real crime novels for Will.


End file.
